RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 On the glacial-interglacial variability of the Asian monsoon in speleothem δ18O records JF Science Advances JO Sci Adv FD American Association for the Advancement of Science SP eaay8189 DO 10.1126/sciadv.aay8189 VO 6 IS 7 A1 Liu, G. A1 Li, X. A1 Chiang, H.-W. A1 Cheng, H. A1 Yuan, S. A1 Chawchai, S. A1 He, S. A1 Lu, Y. A1 Aung, L. T. A1 Maung, P. M. A1 Tun, W. N. A1 Oo, K. M. A1 Wang, X. YR 2020 UL http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/7/eaay8189.abstract AB While Asian monsoon (AM) changes have been clearly captured in Chinese speleothem oxygen isotope (δ18O) records, the lack of glacial-interglacial variability in the records remains puzzling. Here, we report speleothem δ18O records from three locations along the trajectory of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM), a major branch of the AM, and characterize AM rainfall over the past 180,000 years. We have found that the records close to the monsoon moisture source show large glacial-interglacial variability, which then decreases landward. These changes likely reflect a stronger oxygen isotope fractionation associated with progressive rainout of AM moisture during glacial periods, possibly due to a larger temperature gradient and suppressed plant transpiration. We term this effect, which counteracts the forcing of glacial boundary conditions, the moisture transport pathway effect.